Diamond Jubilee Events and Photography - Advice Please

I hope members don't mind this question here, it would be better perhaps in the Events section but that is lightly attended. I take pictures of motobikes, their riders, and some macro and landscape; I try and avoid people unless I know them having never been comfortable taking pictures of others. However, someone has nominated me to take pictures at the forthcoming pub do for the Diamond Jubilee in our village. Unfortunately, the organiser doesn't know what he wants as he says he is not a photographer and I have responded by saying that if he doesn't know what he wants he may be disappointed; nevertheless, my wife and I could take a series of photos to reflect the day which the pub can display as a montage in the pub.
The pub is the landlords domain and the area around it a public place so I have permission to take shots. If it was just the regulars there would be no problem as I know most, but the tickets are going on a much wider distribution to attract volume and friends from other villages. It will be impossible not to include children in the shots (along with unknown adults) and if they are published, even as a montage, getting permission to print them would be impractical. Have any of you photographed similar event, or the forthcoming Jubilee in your area? Should I just get on with it and use common sense, or steer clear. I am off to a meeting on Sunday to see whats what and would welcome your views to have in my back pocket, so to speak. By the way, this is not an attempt to raise the vexed question of photographing children.

I hope members don't mind this question here, it would be better perhaps in the Events section but that is lightly attended. I take pictures of motobikes, their riders, and some macro and landscape; I try and avoid people unless I know them having never been comfortable taking pictures of others. However, someone has nominated me to take pictures at the forthcoming pub do for the Diamond Jubilee in our village. Unfortunately, the organiser doesn't know what he wants as he says he is not a photographer and I have responded by saying that if he doesn't know what he wants he may be disappointed; nevertheless, my wife and I could take a series of photos to reflect the day which the pub can display as a montage in the pub.

The pub is the landlords domain and the area around it a public place so I have permission to take shots. If it was just the regulars there would be no problem as I know most, but the tickets are going on a much wider distribution to attract volume and friends from other villages. It will be impossible not to include children in the shots (along with unknown adults) and if they are published, even as a montage, getting permission to print them would be impractical. Have any of you photographed similar event, or the forthcoming Jubilee in your area? Should I just get on with it and use common sense, or steer clear. I am off to a meeting on Sunday to see whats what and would welcome your views to have in my back pocket, so to speak. By the way, this is not an attempt to raise the vexed question of photographing children.

I would say that you have two choices:
- Take pics for display of adults only enjoying the day
- Take pics of adults and kids and get the parents of the child to sign a model release there and then for every picture of a kid you take
That the landlord maybe displaying, in public, pictures of the children that their parents could object to also puts him in a difficult position and he would be equally culpable should there be any legal action from a parent. A model release is therefore imperative for you both.
Me personally, I'd leave the camera at home and enjoy the day. It's just not worth the hassle for a few pics to put on a pub wall...

I would say that you have two choices:

- Take pics for display of adults only enjoying the day
- Take pics of adults and kids and get the parents of the child to sign a model release there and then for every picture of a kid you take

That the landlord maybe displaying, in public, pictures of the children that their parents could object to also puts him in a difficult position and he would be equally culpable should there be any legal action from a parent. A model release is therefore imperative for you both.

Me personally, I'd leave the camera at home and enjoy the day. It's just not worth the hassle for a few pics to put on a pub wall...

First, to anyone reading this, I thought I had put this in Photo Discussion, hence my odd first line! It must be the sun.
Scottishphototours, thanks for your comments, much appreciated and much as I initially thought. I am inclined to take your last line as it was my original instinct. I guess there will be loads of people there and I don't have a compact so my SLRs will be reasonably prominent and wondering about won't help with disguise; it will be hard to be inconspicuous. I have a day to think of posible alternatives before the meeting; perhaps there may be a few more angles offered.

First, to anyone reading this, I thought I had put this in Photo Discussion, hence my odd first line! It must be the sun.

Scottishphototours, thanks for your comments, much appreciated and much as I initially thought. I am inclined to take your last line as it was my original instinct. I guess there will be loads of people there and I don't have a compact so my SLRs will be reasonably prominent and wondering about won't help with disguise; it will be hard to be inconspicuous. I have a day to think of posible alternatives before the meeting; perhaps there may be a few more angles offered.

Just spent a day at a wedding. Hottest day of the year, full highland dress for all the guys and they're all melting! - but a very important and memorable day so well worth the effort all round. Can you say the same about your day?
Yeah, gut instinct is a good thing, so if your gut says avoid, then avoid. Modern technology being what it is, there will be lots of pics taken anyway, so let someone else deal with the hassle...

Just spent a day at a wedding. Hottest day of the year, full highland dress for all the guys and they're all melting! - but a very important and memorable day so well worth the effort all round. Can you say the same about your day?

Yeah, gut instinct is a good thing, so if your gut says avoid, then avoid. Modern technology being what it is, there will be lots of pics taken anyway, so let someone else deal with the hassle...

If people are made aware that the event will be photographed and have objections to their or their childrens photos being taken then they should politely inform you or the landlord of this.
I have had many years experience of photographing such public events and everybody has been fine with me doing so.
I have on occassion been asked not to photograph a child or children tbut there parents have been fine with themselves being photographed. On some of those occassions it is almost impossible not to capture the child(ren) even if they are in the distance, what I have said to the parents on those rare occassions is that I will either edit the child(ren) out before publication or that I would blur the child out completely beyomd recognition. I also promised that I would delete the file I have once the photo has been published; this I have done. and one particular person was quite antagonistic but trusted that I would do what I said and later acknowledged that I had fulfilled my promise to them.
The one thing I 100% avoid is being left alone with children up to and including 17 year olds, which (at the events I cover this is pretty nigh on impossible anyway, but it is a rule I have set myself.
I am also CRB cleared

If people are made aware that the event will be photographed and have objections to their or their childrens photos being taken then they should politely inform you or the landlord of this.
I have had many years experience of photographing such public events and everybody has been fine with me doing so.
I have on occassion been asked not to photograph a child or children tbut there parents have been fine with themselves being photographed. On some of those occassions it is almost impossible not to capture the child(ren) even if they are in the distance, what I have said to the parents on those rare occassions is that I will either edit the child(ren) out before publication or that I would blur the child out completely beyomd recognition. I also promised that I would delete the file I have once the photo has been published; this I have done. and one particular person was quite antagonistic but trusted that I would do what I said and later acknowledged that I had fulfilled my promise to them.
The one thing I 100% avoid is being left alone with children up to and including 17 year olds, which (at the events I cover this is pretty nigh on impossible anyway, but it is a rule I have set myself.
I am also CRB cleared

Thank you both; I will absorb this tomorrow after an easier day photographing bikes! Thanks for taking the time and trouble to respond at such a late hour. As an aside, I am hoping for a slightly cooler day but won't complain if its hot.

Thank you both; I will absorb this tomorrow after an easier day photographing bikes! Thanks for taking the time and trouble to respond at such a late hour. As an aside, I am hoping for a slightly cooler day but won't complain if its hot.

[quote]Personally I would just be going along and taking the pictures.[/quote]
Me too. I find that if you take a lot of gear with you and are open/friendly with people then you shouldn't get any problems.

Quote:Personally I would just be going along and taking the pictures.

Me too. I find that if you take a lot of gear with you and are open/friendly with people then you shouldn't get any problems.

[quote]Isn't mass hysteria a shocking thing?
It is a sad indictment of society when this question gets raised about such an event.
Personally I would just be going along and taking the pictures.[/quote]
Ditto! Just go for it!:):) surely loads of others will be snapping away anyway. It's not as if you are planning to sell them is it? Just enjoy the day(s). I've just come back from a practise for our village pageant (a complete shambles - but it will be all right on the night!!) but I will be recording the event with a camera!
Life is too short...................

Quote:Isn't mass hysteria a shocking thing?
It is a sad indictment of society when this question gets raised about such an event.

Personally I would just be going along and taking the pictures.

Ditto! Just go for it! surely loads of others will be snapping away anyway. It's not as if you are planning to sell them is it? Just enjoy the day(s). I've just come back from a practise for our village pageant (a complete shambles - but it will be all right on the night!!) but I will be recording the event with a camera!

[quote]If people are made aware that the event will be photographed and have objections to their or their childrens photos being taken then they should politely inform you or the landlord of this.[/quote]
[b]No they should stop at home![/b]

Quote:If people are made aware that the event will be photographed and have objections to their or their childrens photos being taken then they should politely inform you or the landlord of this.

I agree with Scutter and kaybee - just go there, snap away and see if there are any complaints. We've all gone hysterical about whether or not we should take pictures of people. Just take them and let the politically correct get their knickers in a twist!

I agree with Scutter and kaybee - just go there, snap away and see if there are any complaints. We've all gone hysterical about whether or not we should take pictures of people. Just take them and let the politically correct get their knickers in a twist!

I am covering the jubilee events at a village from Thursday next week through to Monday - I have spent time with the organisers so they know I am going to be there and why. I haven't had any problems ever when taking pictures at this type of event even where kids are involved.
I admit that I normally have a t-shirt or jacket with the magazine's logo on and photographer written on it, this changes peoples attitude to you and helps a lot I think. Know what you are trying to capture at the event, what will the pictures be used for and the story you are trying to tell, get some big elbows and enjoy it.

I am covering the jubilee events at a village from Thursday next week through to Monday - I have spent time with the organisers so they know I am going to be there and why. I haven't had any problems ever when taking pictures at this type of event even where kids are involved.

I admit that I normally have a t-shirt or jacket with the magazine's logo on and photographer written on it, this changes peoples attitude to you and helps a lot I think. Know what you are trying to capture at the event, what will the pictures be used for and the story you are trying to tell, get some big elbows and enjoy it.

Sorry for the late reply to all your comments, it has been a busy photographic weekend in splendid weather to boot; only last week I was standing in rain with wet feet - even with goretex boots -in a cold and muddy field taking photos, what a difference a few days can make.
The responses from you all across the range of opinion were helpful and, on balance and despite the lingering apprehension, we are going to give it a go. We know a large number of people in the village and we wil use the advice given in the forum, for which thanks. Over the next few days I will get the cameras out and start to think about what we need to take and then, the day before, see which lenses I will need iin which area. I don't have much by way of wide angle but do have a Canon G5 compact which might be just the ticket in confined spaces and discreet; that will need to be roadtested as well. We have also used the information in the thread to ensure the photos we take, once we have taken them and tried to ensure we let everyone know who we are and what we are doing, will be the landlords responsibility; I have already highlighted the issues surounding publication of photos without release to them following the tips here. However, it is for the pub mainly and we intend to use 'known people' to plan a photo which might be submitted to a local newspaper - if we see an opportunity during the day to achieve a better one we can ask for their permission to release it if needed.
I hope the way in which I asked the question avoided the 'hysteria' side of the issue (more from the press and certain elements of the public rather than the photographic community I think) and I am as frustrated as the next man/woman on the subject of taking photos in public and the way things can be viewed (sic) these days. Although familiar with the issues but not in practice, my aim was to try and identify the potential pitfalls, decide whether it was a practical proposition and then plan to avoid them and the information provided has helped. We won't be alone or working with any children of any age (so CRB is not relevant on this occasion) and will ask for permission to shoot. There are so many facets to the subject but by asking the questions I hope we will steer clear of any traps by being good-humoured, polite and being part of the community anyway. Anything that pops up after all that we will just deal with in the same way.
Again, thanks for all the comments, they were all appreciated.
Chris

Sorry for the late reply to all your comments, it has been a busy photographic weekend in splendid weather to boot; only last week I was standing in rain with wet feet - even with goretex boots -in a cold and muddy field taking photos, what a difference a few days can make.

The responses from you all across the range of opinion were helpful and, on balance and despite the lingering apprehension, we are going to give it a go. We know a large number of people in the village and we wil use the advice given in the forum, for which thanks. Over the next few days I will get the cameras out and start to think about what we need to take and then, the day before, see which lenses I will need iin which area. I don't have much by way of wide angle but do have a Canon G5 compact which might be just the ticket in confined spaces and discreet; that will need to be roadtested as well. We have also used the information in the thread to ensure the photos we take, once we have taken them and tried to ensure we let everyone know who we are and what we are doing, will be the landlords responsibility; I have already highlighted the issues surounding publication of photos without release to them following the tips here. However, it is for the pub mainly and we intend to use 'known people' to plan a photo which might be submitted to a local newspaper - if we see an opportunity during the day to achieve a better one we can ask for their permission to release it if needed.

I hope the way in which I asked the question avoided the 'hysteria' side of the issue (more from the press and certain elements of the public rather than the photographic community I think) and I am as frustrated as the next man/woman on the subject of taking photos in public and the way things can be viewed (sic) these days. Although familiar with the issues but not in practice, my aim was to try and identify the potential pitfalls, decide whether it was a practical proposition and then plan to avoid them and the information provided has helped. We won't be alone or working with any children of any age (so CRB is not relevant on this occasion) and will ask for permission to shoot. There are so many facets to the subject but by asking the questions I hope we will steer clear of any traps by being good-humoured, polite and being part of the community anyway. Anything that pops up after all that we will just deal with in the same way.

I was at a very large event at the NEC last year (100,000 visitors) and at each entrance was a sign stating (from memory) 'Persons entering this show consent to having their photograph taken for publicity purposes'.
Like any public show there will be the press and also the organiser's own photographer/s working there to publicise the event.
As far as I am aware there were no objections and many photographs appeared in the press and on the show's website.
Keith Hart

I was at a very large event at the NEC last year (100,000 visitors) and at each entrance was a sign stating (from memory) 'Persons entering this show consent to having their photograph taken for publicity purposes'.

Like any public show there will be the press and also the organiser's own photographer/s working there to publicise the event.

As far as I am aware there were no objections and many photographs appeared in the press and on the show's website.